Microsoft and Zendawa Harness AI to Revolutionize Kenya’s Pharmacy Sector

Microsoft has partnered with Kenyan health-tech startup Zendawa to deploy a cutting-edge AI-powered platform. Built on Microsoft 365 Copilot, Power BI, and Azure, the solution is designed to digitize operations for independent pharmacies, tackling long-standing challenges of inefficiency and medicine wastage.

Independent pharmacies are the backbone of Kenya’s healthcare system, often serving as the primary point of contact for outpatient care. However, many have historically been held back by manual processes and thin profit margins.

The new platform replaces traditional pen-and-paper stock management with a sophisticated suite of digital tools. By leveraging predictive analytics and demand forecasting, pharmacists can now optimize their inventory in real-time, a capability previously reserved for large-scale healthcare retailers.

“By leveraging Microsoft’s AI technologies, we are giving pharmacists tools that help them reduce losses, grow revenue, and operate more sustainably,” said Wilfred Chege, Co-Founder and CEO of Zendawa.

For local pharmacists, the transition from manual logs to AI insights has yielded immediate financial and operational benefits. Users report that precise tracking of expiry dates has slashed losses from expired medication, while automated stock-taking eliminates the need for frequent shop closures. This efficiency allows pharmacies to remain open longer and ensures that fast-moving, essential medicines are always available for the community.

Dr. Bramwel Othieno of Ryche Pharmacy highlighted the shift “With the AI insights, we can now track expiry dates, predict demand, and focus more on patient care instead of manual record-keeping.”

Beyond the pharmacy counter, the partnership is addressing a critical hurdle for small businesses: access to capital. By digitizing sales and inventory data, the Zendawa platform enables pharmacies to build data-based credit profiles. This allows small healthcare providers to access financing from lending partners without the need for traditional collateral, fostering long-term business resilience.

Since its launch in 2023, Zendawa has expanded rapidly across Nairobi and other urban hubs. The collaboration, according to Microsoft, underscores its commitment to supporting local innovations that address real-world challenges.